Thick, fluffy chocolate banana ice cream gets sandwiched between two tender peanut butter cookies to make a frozen treat that tastes indulgent and nourishes your body at the same time! 
Imagine this: it’s 90 degrees out. You just got home from a walk/run/hike/day at the beach/running errands. Its hot. It’s so very hot. You are considering sticking your head in the freezer just to cool off, but then you remember there are ice cream sandwiches in the freezer. Hey! You can stick your head in the freezer AND come out with a cool, tasty treat. You crunch into a cold peanut butter cookie that yields to creamy, chocolatey banana ice cream. You close your eyes. This is it. The heat wave has nothing on you; you have ice cream sandwiches!
All you need to make these ice cream sandwiches is 2 frozen bananas, cocoa powder, vanilla, and a dozen peanut butter cookies. If you’re keeping up with my ice cream sandwich math here, that means you’re going to get 6 sandwiches out of this recipe. Adjust accordingly if you feel like 6 isn’t nearly enough.
If you haven’t already made a few batches of my simple, 7-ingredient Peanut Butter Oat Cookies, now’s the time to pull out the peanut butter jar and preheat the oven to 350. The good news is, the cookies are so quick and easy to make that you can still be eating these ice cream sandwiches in under an hour, even if you have to make the cookies RIGHT NOW. Go ahead, make the cookies. I’ll be here waiting.
Okay, cookies are in the oven, commence banana ice cream. Into a blender goes the frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and out comes a thick, creamy chocolate banana ice cream. Go ahead and scrape the ice cream into a bowl and stick it in the freezer while you wait for the cookies to cool. We don’t want ice cream soup sandwiches.
Once your cookies are completely cooled (I sometimes stick them in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the process) you just scoop on the ice cream, smoosh on a top cookie, and take a giant bite. Or, if you’re feeling like these sandwiches are 6 seconds away from melting because maybe you didn’t really let the cookies cool enough, just pop the assembled sandwiches into the freezer to harden up. They can even stay there for a few weeks if you keep them in a freezer bag. Just pull them out to soften for a few minutes, and enjoy the bliss that is an ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day.
While the ingredients in these ice cream sandwiches certainly nourish your body, I find them even more powerful in nourishing my soul. There’s really something so meditative and nostalgic about ice cream sandwiches. You have to slow down to lick the sides, savoring each bite before it inevitably starts dropping down your hands. No words need be exchanged with your friends or family while eating them, a knowing glance is all it takes to let each other know this is exactly where you want to be.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches (V/GF)
Ingredients
- 12 Peanut Butter Oat Cookies recipe linked above and below
- 2 frozen ripe bananas
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Make sure cookies are completely cooled before turning them into ice cream sandwiches or the ice cream will just melt. If you make them in advance, I'd recommend refrigerating or freezing the cookies to speed up the process.
- 2. Make banana ice cream by putting all ingredients (other than cookies) into a blender or food processor and mixing on high until a thick, creamy ice cream forms. This may take a few minutes; scrape the bowl down if the bananas are getting stuck.
- 3. If you're not immediately making the sandwiches, transfer the ice cream to a container and put in the freezer to stay cold while you wait for the cookies. I'd recommend only freezing the ice cream for up to an hour because it will become too hard to scoop if frozen long-term.
- 4. Scoop ice cream into the bottom of 6 cookies, and top with remaining 6. Eat immediately or keep in the freezer for longer storage. Let cookies sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before eating if they've been frozen for several days.
Notes
If you're feeling wild, dipping half of each assembled sandwich in melted chocolate is a good idea, as is rolling the sides in sprinkles, chopped chocolate, or nuts. Do whatever feels right. Adapted from My Peanut Butter Oat Cookies & 1-ingredient Banana Ice Cream